Australians are known to be fast adopters of new technology, but this attitude may be making them lax when it comes to online security, according to research commissioned by online money transfer company PayPal.

In a survey of 1,000 Australians conducted by Pure Profile for PayPal, 55 percent of respondents said they were unsure of how many websites held their personal information, with 32 percent clueless on how to recognise scam websites.

Around 67 percent of respondents said they had no qualms about inputting their personal details online, despite not knowing how to secure that information once it is online. What is more disturbing is that 81 percent of people used social networking websites, but only 27 percent realised they may be sharing personal information when doing so.

"While Australians have become more comfortable browsing, shopping, and connecting online, they are often unaware of the size and impact of their digital footprint," PayPal spokesperson Adrian Christie said in a statement. "Our research found that 75 percent of Australians surveyed said they were concerned about the amount of information they share online, yet we are seeing a strong disconnect between what consumers know and what they think they know."

Nearly a quarter of respondents have been or knows somebody who has been a victim of cyberscams.

All of the people surveyed owned at least a desktop, laptop, smartphone, or mobile device.

PayPal urged Australians to be more careful when it comes to managing their digital footprint, and to be cautious of scam websites.